Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Once again, we had Jonathan Broxton enter the ninth to protect a one-run lead, and once again, his first batter was the vaunted Albert Pujols. But this time, unlike last night, Pujols stroked a ball into center for his first hit of the series (leaving him 1-for-11), with a leadoff single. Broxton got composed and got Matt Holliday and Ryan Ludwick to fly out, but then Yadier Molina hit a long ground-rule double that bounced over the centerfield wall--holding Pujols, who would have otherwise scored, at third--and allowing former Giant/Yankee castoff Randy Winn to promptly ground to third for the final out. The Dodgers sweep the Cardinals at Dodger Stadium for the first time since that magical season of 1988, drawing our win streak to four in a row, 8-2 over this homestand, and extending our NL West lead by another half game over the idle Padres.

Adam Wainwright was already beaten when the Dodgers took a 4-0 lead in the fourth. The crowd was sedated as we were coasting to another victory...

Credit Clayton Kershaw (6-3) for seven innings of 10K, 2BB ball (one three-run HR allowed, in the fourth to Ryan Ludwick); Ronald Belisario for the one-inning hold and Broxton for his fifteenth-straight save. Also credit James Loney for a 4-for-4 night (1 R), Manny Ramirez for his fifth HR of the season (scoring two RBI), Blake DeWitt with a two-RBI single in the fourth, and Andre Ethier for going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Dodgers get a day off tomorrow while the Padres play a doubleheader in NY, and then lovely interleague play resumes with a three-game set with the Angels.

The most curious figure to emerge in the Dodgers' drama answers the door with a kindly smile and a hearty handshake. He motions toward the living room, where his wife has put out a spread of chocolate and fruit, coffee and tea.

Vladimir Shpunt, 71, lived most of his life in Russia. He has three degrees in physics and a letter of reference from a Nobel Prize winner.

He knows next to nothing about baseball.

Yet the Dodgers hired him to, well, think blue.

Frank and Jamie McCourt paid him to help the team win by sending positive energy over great distances.

Looks like I missed a great one. I saw the score after the 6th and knew the beer I had drunken earlier would wake me up to check the score again in the middle of the night. I about choked when I saw the play-by-play for the 9th.

And I had to go to the MLB.tv replay to see how close Ludwick was in the 6th. I knew the outcome and I still about peed my pants.

@DB - that "V energy" article is stunning. If they gave credit to Shpunt for making the playoffs, can we blame him for Rollins' double? Where was he for that? Was he off taking a shit? Off counting his money?